The call of the Dark Side is strong...

[mrsabbott]

First of all, I have to say that the kids did GREAT at the play last night and it was AMAZING!! What a blessing to get to see it for free!! Buds didn't do great while waiting for it to start (he couldn't understand why he wasn't allowed to run up and down the aisles) but once it started, he was enamored! During intermission, I asked him if he liked it and he said "It AWESOME!!" And it was!

So, I am happy to say that, with the exception of two small bills left to be paid on Wednesday, ALL of our bills are paid for October!! And we actually have a little bit of money in the bank! That means that my Hubs' next 3 paychecks and my next 2 paychecks are EXTRA!!

I will be putting money in savings first. Our savings literally has $5 in it. We should be able to get our disposal fixed soon and then look into a new(ish) washing machine! Yay!!

We will have to get our registration for our vehicles too, but it doesn't look like it will be too crazy expensive! Providing we don't have anything else blow up or break down.. we might actually get AHEAD this month!! (Okay, nothing actually blew up.. but it did leak water everywhere!)

On that bright note of happiness, I decided to price tickets and have decided that it will be worth the extra cost to go ahead and buy Annual Passes for our trip! I really do think that it will pay for itself! We will get 5 power passes and 1 preferred pass. With the preferred pass, we will save on parking for 3 days we are there. Plus the discounts on merchandise and food!

Not to mention.. with the passes.. we might be able to squeeze in another visit later in the year with just lodging to pay for..

 

[macraven]

Also.. I am super excited because in 2 weeks, I am going up to Chicago (KID FREE!!) and spend the weekend with my BFF! Haven't seen her in 2 years, haven't seen her new house AND haven't seen her NEW BABY!! Found very cheap airfare.. about the cost of gas to drive Bessie there and back.. so I am flying early that Friday morning and coming back on Sunday! I can't wait!! Hubs isn't so keen on me flying though. Poor guy is convinced that I am going to crash and die in an airplane and he will be forced to remarry just to have someone help him raise the kids! His words, not mine!

I haven't flown since BEFORE we got married! I got a gift card for my birthday, so I'm going to buy some carry on luggage. Pretty sure I will have to rethink how I pack. Usually, I pack like I may be gone for a month and there might be anything from a freak blizzard in the middle of summer to a heat wave in the middle of winter! And you never know if I might have to go to a black tie event. Or go swimming!



(

this week in chgo will be very nice during the day.
evenings temps will drop.
come next weekend, typical chgo weather.
i doubt you will go swimming...........

wear long sleeves and cover over with a jacket it so you will be ready for what weather happens when you come.
toss a few things in a carry on bag and save on luggage costs for the flight.

which airport will you be using up here?
is your friend picking up or are you using the public transportation?

i'm sure you will have a fun weekend in chicagoland.
maybe your friend has some sightseeing plans in the city planned for entertaining you.

 

[glocon]

And the pizza...... ahhhh I miss the pizza! Colutta's is the best!

 

[mrsabbott]

this week in chgo will be very nice during the day.
evenings temps will drop.
come next weekend, typical chgo weather.
i doubt you will go swimming...........

wear long sleeves and cover over with a jacket it so you will be ready for what weather happens when you come.
toss a few things in a carry on bag and save on luggage costs for the flight.

which airport will you be using up here?
is your friend picking up or are you using the public transportation?

i'm sure you will have a fun weekend in chicagoland.
maybe your friend has some sightseeing plans in the city planned for entertaining you.

I'm flying into Midway, which is closest to her house. She's more familiar with O'Hare, but thought it would be easiest to just go to Midway.. especially since I'm flying out at the crack of dawn and she will have a new baby it tow when she picks me up! I'll be staying with her!

I'm not sure what we will do. We haven't gotten that far yet! I'm really just there to see her and the baby, although we did talk about having her husband watch the baby one evening while we go out to dinner.. just the two of us!

I will ask her about Colutta's pizza!!

 

[mrsabbott]

Since the kids and I are all vegetarian, I decided to spend some time compiling a list of options for us throughout both parks and City Walk. I didn't include the resorts because it isn't likely that we will travel to any of them.

There are several options, some sound better then others. I also realize that menus sometimes change. One thing I do wish.. that they had more vegetarian options in the Harry Potter areas! Perhaps they will add something down the line..

Anyhoo, in case anyone is interested, here is the list I compiled based on menus that I found online. I did this instead of cleaning the house and doing laundry. What can I say.. I needed to be in my happy place for a little while..

Universal Studios Resorts Vegetarian Options

Universal Studios

Beverly Hills Boulangerie- Health Sandwich (Veggie sandwich w/ potato salad and fruit)
Chez Alcatraz- Margherita Flatbread (Mozzarella, tomato, and basil on artisan crust)
Luigi’s Pizza- Cheese pizza and Vegetarian Pizza
Lisa’s Teahouse of Horror- Caprese Salad, Veggie Sandwich, Hummus, Fruit Plate
Krusty Burger- Mother Nature Burger (Black Bean burger w/ guacamole)
Finnegan’s- Potato and Onion Web, Potato and Leek Soup, Leprechaun’s Rainbow (Fruit and sorbet), Gardenburger
Leaky Cauldron- Lunch: Kid’s Mac n’Cheese, Breakfast: Apple Oatmeal Flan w/ yoghurt and fruit, Egg Leek & Mushroom Pasty, Pancake or American Breakfast (without bacon or sausage)
Lombard’s- Spinach Artichoke dip, Portobello Quinoa, Bravo Ravioli (cheese ravioli w/ 3 sauces), Kid’s Penne w/ marinara, Kid’s Fruit plate
London Taxi Hut- Bean & Cheese Baked Potato, Broccoli & Cheese Baked Potato
Louie’s Italian Restaurant- Cheese pizza, Garden Vegetable pizza, Fettucino Alfredo, Kid’s PB&J
Mel’s Drive-In- Gardenburger, Onion rings, Fries, Kid’s Mac n’Cheese nuggets (with carrots & grapes)
Richter’s Burger Co.- The Fault Line (garden burger w/ cheese)
Classic Monsters Café- Cheese pizza, Wedge Salad (tomato, egg, bleu cheese), Fries, Mac n’Cheese, Kid’s Mac n’Cheese nuggets (carrots & fruit), Kid’s pizza

Islands of Adventure

Doc Sugrue’s Desert Kabob House- Vegetarian Kabob, Greek Salad, Hummus
Café 4- Cheese pizza, Veggie pizza, Fettucini w/ garlic cream sauce, Spinach & Feta Calzone
Circus McGurkus- Cheese pizza, Kid’s spaghetti w/ marinara
Confisco Grille- Spinach Artichoke Dip, Hummus, Greek Salad, Fruit Plate, Pad Thai (no meat), Penne Puttanesca (no sausage), Tex Mex Wrap (no chicken), Wood Fire Pizza, Potato & Leek Soup, Kid’s Penne w/ marinara, Cheese pizza, Grilled cheese (American w/ corn on the cob and oranges)
Mythos Restaurant- Tuscan Tomato Soup, Mediterranean Flatbread (no bacon), Pad Thai (no meat), Spanikopita, Roasted Corn & Tortilla Soup, Pasta of the day (?), Baby Spinach Salad, Mixed Baby Greens, Kid’s pasta, Kid’s Cheese pizza
Pizza Predatoria- Cheese pizza, salad
The Burger Digs- Garden burger (w/ cheese and fries), Kid’s Mac n’ Cheese Nuggets
The Three Broomsticks- Lunch: Soup & Salad Combo (potato & leek or split pea), various sides, Kid’s Mac n’ Cheese (w/ grapes & applesauce), Breakfast: Porridge Breakfast (steel cut oats, fruit), Continental Breakfast (fruit, croissants), Pancake or American Breakfast (without bacon or sausage)

City Walk

Antojito’s Authentic Mexican- Downstairs: Guacamole, Esquites Asados, Tamalitos Fritos, Quesadillas Caseras, Nachos Totopos, Enchiladas Vegetarianas, Antojitos Vegetarianas, Fire Roasted Vegetable Fajitas
Bob Marley Tribute to Freedom- Stir It Up Fondue, Jammin’ Chips & Salsa, Natty Dread Vegetable Patties, Ital Eats Stuffed Peppers, Trench Town Rock Pepper Pot Soup, Kid’s Mac n’Cheese
Bread Box Handcrafted Sandwiches- Egg Salad (no bacon), 3 Cheese (grilled cheese Muenster, fontina, & Cheddar), Tomato & Mozzarella (grilled cheese, sun dried tomatoes), Veggie (grilled cheese)
Hard Rock Café- Hard Rock Nachos, Potato Skins (no bacon), Santa Fe Spring Rolls, Grilled Mediterranean Linguini (no shrimp or chicken), Twisted Mac n’ Cheese (no chicken), Veggie Leggie (burger), various sides, Kid’s Pasta with Red sauce, Kid’s Cheesy Mac
Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville- Pretzel Sticks, White Cheddar Cheese Curds, Key West Quesadilla, Black Bean & Roasted Corn Tacos, Chimichurri Veggie Burger, Margarita Pasta, Veggie Cobb Salad, Various Sides, Kid’s Cavatappi Pasta, Kid’s Mac n’Cheese
Moe’s Southwest Grille- Lots of Veggie options
NASCAR Sports Grille- Fried Pretzels, O-rings, Hummus, Chili Con Queso, Fried Mozzarella, Fried Pickles, Short Track House Salad, Points Leader Alfredo Pasta (no chicken or shrimp), Gardenburger, Various sides
NBA City- Fresh Tomato & Mozzarella, Garden Salad, Bruschetta Pizza, Black Bean & Corn Burger, Pastas & Noodles
Panda Express- Some veggie options
Red Oven Pizza Bakery- Several veggie options
Vivo Italian Kitchen- Vasi, Hand Pulled Mozzerella, Due Fritto, Margherita Pizza, Pasta of the Day, Pappardelle, Pomodoro, Eggplant Parmagiano, Gnocci, Osso Buco, soups, salads, and sides.

 

[mrsabbott]

Just 27 more Thursdays until we leave for vacation!!

 

[Lynne G]

Wahoo - time will tick away. The vacation will be here before you know it.

Glad to hear the finances are in order for next month. It's always something with owning a house and cars.

I liked reading the potter books too. I'm not an avid potter fan, but I enjoyed the books and enjoyed the potter areas in Universal.

I think it's smart to buy the APs. As long as you are not going during the blackout dates, I think the power pass is a great buy. Not much more than a few days park to park ticket. And of course, that means you should get at least 2 trips to really enjoy the savings of the annual passes!

 

[mrsabbott]

Lynne.. Hubs and I are HUGE "Potter Nerds" and can't wait to see Diagon Alley!!

Hubs said he's not sure that he will be able to get away another week from work during the year, but maybe I could take the kiddos myself or invite a friend along (I can get discounted tickets with an AP, right??)

Anyhoo, we are slowly making our way through all the movies in the evenings! We are on Goblet of Fire right now! I looked into downloading the audiobooks but they are pricey! I might see if our library might carry them! We are planning to have one of our visits be strictly Harry Potter! Hubs is just as excited as I am about researching and planning all the things to do and try!

The girls asked for me to measure them over the weekend and the older girls are tall enough to ride everything next time!! I can't even begin to tell you how excited they are about that!! Punky and Pod are thrill seekers like their Daddy! Boo Bear will be tall enough to ride most anything, but I'm not sure if she will be up to most of it! I think she likes the thrill rides (roller coasters and things) but not anything scary. She was terrified by Forbidden Journey and wouldn't open her eyes on Jurassic Park (although she liked the ride, just not the scary dinosaurs). Buds will be tall enough to ride more things next time as well!

I spent some time getting my vacation folder started! I have the welcome packet and payment receipts, etc.. for our condo printed out and my list of veggie options!

After researching more and more options, I think we are going to go ahead and visit Charlston, SC! We will stay at a hotel a little bit outside of town to save money (still haven't chosen just the right one yet.. still deciding) and will look into free options of things to see and do. We will visit the beach, briefly sight see downtown, and maybe visit Ft. Sumter for a little history lesson! I will be packing some food for travel snacks and to pack up a picnic lunch during our outings.

I am happy to say that Bessie is continuing to do great and (fingers crossed) she will only need an oil change and a "check up" before we go. Goodness! I'm planning like we are leaving next month! I only wish!!

 

[Threeboysandachickie]

I saw this military family announcement from universal and thought of you..

Universal Orlando Resort has revealed an all-new offer exclusively for active duty and retired members of the military. Military personnel can now purchase a one-day, park-to-park ticket and receive two complimentary days to experience the extraordinary thrills and heart-warming moments that can only be found at Universal Orlando Resort. Plus, they can also upgrade with a 3-nights stay at the brand-new Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort with a discounted vacation package.

 

[mrsabbott]

I saw this military family announcement from universal and thought of you..

Universal Orlando Resort has revealed an all-new offer exclusively for active duty and retired members of the military. Military personnel can now purchase a one-day, park-to-park ticket and receive two complimentary days to experience the extraordinary thrills and heart-warming moments that can only be found at Universal Orlando Resort. Plus, they can also upgrade with a 3-nights stay at the brand-new Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort with a discounted vacation package.

Thank you!!

I saw this too, but I'm not sure if they are going to have this deal when we go.. I hope so, as it could potentially be a nice money saver!!

 

[mrsabbott]

School is kicking my rear right now! I am stressing over a paper that I have to do and trying to get all of the required reading and stuff done... I feel like I am burning the candle at both ends! If Hubs continues to do well at work and we can get some bills paid off, I will drop to part time next year. Working full time plus school plus kids and housework... I am pushing 40!! I don't have the energy that I used to! LOL!

Anyhow, Hubs is talking about our vacation a lot lately! Yesterday he mentioned wanting to see the Beetlejuice show.. I can't even begin to tell you how much we are looking forward to this! I am practically living for our vacation! Seriously! Vacation is like the light at the end of the tunnel..

On the bright side, I was looking for some luggage and ended up buying shoes. I didn't exactly need the shoes, but I saw them and NEEDED them. If you know what I mean. Regularly $60, got them for $20. I also got a couple of much needed sweaters and two new pairs of earrings. The sweaters I needed for work (I have to wear long sleeves to cover up my tattoo) but the earrings were just too cheap to pass up and a girl needs earrings.. Right? Okay, so I am kind of justifying my spending.. I did think to myself that the $60 I spent could have went towards the vacation fund or paying off a bill, but my thinking was still a little cloudy from all the developmental theories I had just spent the last two hours studying and I couldn't think straight.

Paying on our condo this week. Not paying it off, but making a payment on it. one step closer...

 

[mrsabbott]

Ooh, ooh!! Do you see what my ticker says?? It is no longer six months until vacation! Nope, it says that it is FIVE months (3 weeks and 6 days) until our vacation!!

 

[mrsabbott]

I got back yesterday morning from my trip to see my BFF in Chicago! What a great weekend!! I love how you can be apart from a friend for a long time and when you see each other it is like you haven't been apart for a second!

My experience flying wasn't too bad! I flew Southwest, which was the cheapest, and they have you pick your own seat based on your boarding pass number.. I was towards the end, so all that was left on the flight there were middle seats. So, my flight in was something like this: But it wasn't as crowded of a flight on the way home and I got a window seat. Security wasn't as bad as I was expecting either.

Anyhoo, we went out to lunch and went for a nice walk at this beautiful little nature preserve called Lake Katherine.. nice little hidden gem there! We also went and got mani-pedi's and I got something called a "no chip manicure" that is supposed to last a long, long time. So far, so good! We did a lot of talking and laughing but mostly, I did a lot of this:

It was so much fun to meet her sweet baby boy!!

 

[Lynne G]

What a great trip and cute baby. So fun to see a newborn.

Trip keeps getting closer!

 

[mrsabbott]

What a great trip and cute baby. So fun to see a newborn. Trip keeps getting closer!

Yes it does!!! I showed my ticker to the girls and they couldn't believe it was "only" 5 more months away! We still talk about our last trip and recently took a stroll down memory lane by looking at all of our pictures. Even Hubs is talking about it!

 

[mrsabbott]

Today is Punky's 10th birthday party! I have no idea where the time has gone?? There is a part of me that is so excited to see my kids growing up but another part of me that wants to see them stay little!

Our washing machine kicked the bucket so I had to brave the Laundromat yesterday.. with all 4 kiddos! Wasn't as bad as I thought! Lots of running around and trying to get everything done but, of course, I still have lots to do before the party! As you can see, I am hanging out here instead! Drinking coffee out of my Marauder's Map mug (my favorite) and dreaming of our vacation!!

My life is crazy busy right now so there isn't a lot of time to spend in my happy place, planning vacations! I get up and go to work, come home and help the kids with their homework, cook dinner, clean up, put the kids in bed, do my own homework, sleep, wake up, repeat. Weekends are spent doing all the things I didn't have time for during the week. The bright side?? Time is FLYING by and it will be vacation time before I know it!

I will admit, I'm a little stressed out and wondering if I am doing the right thing by going back to school. I know that it will pay off in the future, but is it the right thing for my family now? I feel like I have all these balls up in the air and I usually end up dropping a few because, let's face it, I am total CRAP at juggling!

Looking forward to this vacation is what is keeping me going..

 

[Lynne G]

Mrs. Abbott, hang in there. Juggling is a mom's thing. We are expected to be masters of everything. It's great to get school out of the way now. I don't think there's a good time when you have a family. It will pay off.

Happy birthday to Punky. Just wait until the last kid is a teen. Those days of cute little one are long gone. Every age has good and bad points. I actually think things are easier and harder with teens. At least we travel with nothing in the parks now. And no need to know where every bathroom. My kids, when younger, always needed to go whenever we arrived somewhere.

Hope all is going well. Vacation is always good to look forward to.

Washer breaking down stinks too. I'm on my second. I don't think they are made to last a long time.

 

[mrsabbott]

Thank you, Lynne!!
My son is giving us a hard time with potty training. I am beginning to think it will never happen. Hopefully, he will figure it out before high school!

Ticker is counting down fast! I can't wait until we are finally on our way! I have been working on our tentative itinerary. I will post it once I have all the details worked out!

Hubs says that the NEXT year (2016) he wants us to look into a Disney Cruise for our vacation. The kids will be a little older, and I think it might be a fun thing to try! I'm trying to NOT get into planning that vacation while I am still planning this one! I do tend to put the cart before the horse sometimes though!

 

[Lynne G]

I think boys are harder to train than girls. I bribed my kid. He needed small pieces of candy and stickers for going when gota go. By the end, just saying good job was enough. He was almost 3 before fully trained. I hope your DS gets it soon. Much easier for all. And the last of the baby things.

 

[mrsabbott]

So, after reading another thread about crowd levels over Spring Break and a comment about how busy it will be around Easter, I looked up the crowd levels for our time frame.. BUSY.

I know that this is just an estimator, but I really, really hope that the crowds aren't too awful! I worry about Hubs' anxiety levels. I also worry about my son who doesn't listen very well and has a tendency to make a break for it if he can!

Still, we are spending FOUR days instead of two, so we don't have to try to rush and cram as much as we can into the time we are there. If we have to wait a little longer on some rides, that is okay.. And we aren't going to be there on a weekend, so maybe the crowds will be slightly less during the weekdays.. Maybe. I hope.